The above mentioned switching devices are known, for example, in the form of relays employing self-holding reed contacts having reed contact armatures made from a reversible hard-magnetic material. In cases where the reed contact armatures consist completely, that is throughout their entire length, of a reversible hard-magnetic material, the magnetic length of the reed contact armature is much greater than the length of the associated magnetizing coil. This variation between the magnetic lengths of the reed contact armatures and the lengths of the magnetizing coils can only be compensated for by increasing the driving power of the magnetizing coils. In order to eliminate this deficiency, it is known to adapt the magnetic lengths of the reed contact armatures sectionally to the lengths of the magnetizing coils. In so doing, the total length of each reed contact armature is manufactured from at least two parts, i.e. the resilient and reversible hard-magnetic parts of the reed contact armature arranged overlappingly opposite each other within the protective envelope (reed tubing), are each connected via a short flat spring, to a shaft made from a material capable of being sealed in glass. This way, of course, achieves a good adaptation of the magnetic lengths of the reed contact armatures to the lengths of the magnetizing coils, as well as good sealing properties to the reed contact armatures, but this method causes unnecessary joints and magnetically separating gaps, so that the use of a magnetically separating spring is not considered favorable. The construction is complicated and expensive also because four welding points are inside the protective envelope and are subject to the disadvantage of embrittlement within the welding area.